iColorful Asia: Journey through Asia at Tokyo National Museum
A tour of the Asian Gallery (Toyokan) exploring artworks through the lens of color, pigment science, and dyeing techniques across Asia.
Altro a Tokyo
In Room 9, a pomegranate carved from agate has split open. Where the skin cracks, the carver painted it red and set grains of amber in as the seeds.
This is the museum's yearly autumn theme for its Asian Gallery, the Toyokan, and 2026's is colour. You pick up the free Ajitabi Map 2026 at the information desk and follow it through the regular rooms, past pigment science, the work it took to get a colour right, and colour imagined in ink. QR codes beside up to 19 works open a curator's audio or text guide on your own phone. Talking out loud is encouraged this season. For once in a Tokyo museum, nobody will shush you for discussing a pot.
The catch: Rooms 3 and 8 have been closed since 9 October until further notice, taking out the Egyptian baboon and the Orchid Pavilion rubbing. Entry is the ¥1,000 collection ticket, free under 18, and it's open until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Da non perdere
The Qianlong glass candlestick
In Room 9, a stack of glass sections in pale red, yellow, light blue, red, blue and pale green, one carved with the character for longevity.
The blue-lotus altar cloth
In Room 5, a Ming patchwork of multicoloured silk squares, each embroidered with a flower, including a lotus stitched in blue for fun.
The Thai fish bowl
In Room 12, a soft yellowish celadon bowl from Si Satchanalai with an iron-painted fish that looks to be swimming through lit water.
Ideale per
- Cultura low cost
- Visite serali
- Da soli
- Giornate di pioggia
Lascia perdere se
You came for the Egyptian baboon or the Orchid Pavilion rubbing: Rooms 3 and 8 are closed.
Con i bambini
Under-18s get in free with proof of age, and families with small children are welcome to talk in the rooms. Free colouring sheets based on the works are in Honkan Room C while they last.
Anche a Tokyo National Museum
- Daitokuji: un tempio zen senza eguali (Daitokuji: A Zen Temple Beyond Compare)14 ottobre 2026 – 6 dicembre 2026
- Hiroshige: Nuove prospettive sul Giappone dell’epoca Edo (Hiroshige: New Perspectives on Edo Japan)29 settembre 2026 – 20 dicembre 2026
- Il Genji monogatari: la cultura sfolgorante della corte imperiale giapponese (The Tale of Genji: Radiant Culture of the Japanese Imperial Court)19 gennaio 2027 – 14 marzo 2027
In corso qui vicino
Sex in Nature (生きものたちの性)
National Museum of Nature and Science
Challenging Infectious Diseases: Past, Present and Future (Noguchi Hideyo 150th Anniversary)
National Museum of Nature and Science
Rappresentare il teatro: da Delacroix e Daumier a Toulouse-Lautrec e Klinger (Picturing the Theater: From Delacroix and Daumier to Toulouse-Lautrec and Klinger)
National Museum of Western Art
Nei dintorni
Crediti fotografici
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- Colorful Asia: Journey through Asia at Tokyo National MuseumCourtesy of Tokyo National Museum
- Tokyo National MuseumWiiii, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Museum of Nature and ScienceDaderot, CC0
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art MuseumJoe Mabel, CC BY-SA 2.0
- National Museum of Western ArtJoyofmuseums, CC BY-SA 4.0